End of Month View of the Garden. End of June 2018

Summer has arrived, very hot days, drying winds and monthly rainfall total of 1.4mm, which is my driest June on record. I only have a tiny drop of rainwater left in one of my water-butt, and that is totally reserved for my Sarracenias. Everything else gets the hose.

Sarracenia Leucophylla

Sarracenia Tygo

I purchased 2 new plants from my recent visit to the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show earlier this month, this is to bulk up my collection of plants after quite a few perished over the winter.

Agaves in the full sun.

Hostas in the shade

I’ve moved all my Agaves, Succulents and Cacti outside from their winter quarters in the house to take advantage of the weather, however my Hostas which are in the shade all day up against the house are having to be watered daily to keep them going during this prolonged hot spell.

One of several Hanging Baskets

Cosmos Xsenia

Cosmos Pinky

Clematis Niobe

The garden is all flowery with my Clematis looking particularly splendid, my Cosmos are a bit hesitant with the dry hot weather and are only achieving about a foot in height before flowering.

Accidental foliage corner

Skip rescued Tree Fern

My accidental foliage corner looks cool and lush, it gets a daily water in the pots, in the middle there is a Tree Fern which was apparently dead and was left in a skip by a builder where I work, I duly rescued it and after lots of soaking and winter protecting it is still alive, not exactly burgeoning with vitality, but still alive after 3 years with me, and I’m more than happy with that.

My long fence order is rapidly going over due to the heat, the soil is a bit clayey, even after years of adding compost mulch, grit and any other organic matter it still dries out and crack open.

Long Border in the heat.

Several of my Pulmonarias have gone over and been cut back, and I’ve placed pots of summer bedding in the gaps to disguise the holes left in the planting. Looks nice, but more watering……

My Island bed continues to disappoint, even after a winter revamp and mulch, its dried out and cracked open and after much removing, I still have field bindweed popping up. I’m considering a tear out and start again approach………well maybe.

Allium Globemaster Seedheads

Island Bed

Unknown Eryngium

Although the addition of Tulips made this bed look nice in the spring, it looks naff until my Asters and Helenium start to get going for mid summer so a rethink is needed.

In my greenhouse my cucumbers are cropping like mad, and they are extremely tasty.

Cucumber mini munch

I’m getting fruits daily, although I have 3 plants, I want more next year, however my Sweet Peppers are disappointing as they are predominantly foliage with only weedy fruits, I wonder if it’s possible that the hot weather has put them off.

In my other greenhouse….

Tomato packed Greenhouse

Jugo Tomatoes

The Heritage tomatoes that I am growing as a Seed Guardian for The Heritage Seed Library which is part of Garden Organic, are going berserk, taking daily watering, and at almost 6ft high now. I need a another tieing in session soon, and to start feeding the plants more, the fruits are a fist sized plum type, and they are still growing bigger. Some of the fruits have developed blossom end rot, but this is not really an issue for me as I’m predominantly after the seeds. I will eat and preserve some fruits though.

But I noticed quite a creepy site around the base, my sweet corns are developing toes, very soon feet will develop and the plants will start moving around during the night in order to find better growing conditions. I will hopefully catch this happening on film.

Sweetcorn Toes

I’m also having a go at growing a few coloured Sweetcorn call Painted Mountain, the seed was given to me by staff at the Heritage Seed Library, it’s a multi coloured cob type, and some of the plants have fantastic dark stems.

Sweetcorn Painted Mountain

I’ve also got several Heritage Dwarf French Bean types growing, some of the seeds from these will be going to seed swaps in the Autumn.

Dwarf Beans mostly for seed.

A mixture of Dwarf French Bean Bobs Best, Dwarf French Bean Jesse Fisk, a climbing French Bean called Rays Butter Bean.

And some Dwarf French Bean of Montezuma’s Red, which has gorgeous looking bean seeds.

Dwarf French Bean Montezuma’s Red

Until next month, bye for now.

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Published by The Cynical Gardener

I am a Leicestershire based Botanical Gardener.
This blog is a reflection of what I like to do in my own Garden, the plants I like to grow and the Horticultural based days out I like to go on.
I also occasionally review products.
View all posts by The Cynical Gardener

AWESOME! I almost wish I could comment on every photo. All your plants look so great and happy to have you as their caretaker. It will be very interestig indeed of you can video your sweet corn moving around at night. I bet it will be a first ever video of its kind in history. Thanks for sharing!

The thought of sweetcorn wandering around the garden at night made me chuckle. I’d better go and check mine to see if they are developing feet. It might be a plan to take over the world. Your garden is looking very colourful